RETURNING clients were the mainstay buyers at the 30th annual Glanna Merino stud on-property sale at Gulgong last Saturday, with 53 of the 78 selling to $3600 and averaging $1640.

Poll Merino rams fetched higher values for the Rayner family with 24 topping at $3000 to average $1867 while 29 Merinos topped the sale at $3600 and averaged $1452.

Greg and Margaret O’Reilly and family, Wyoming, Gulgong, buyers of Glanna rams for 18-plus years, secured the sale-topper at $3600 while purchasing four rams averaging $2050.

The O’Reillys are currently joining 2200 Merino ewes growing an average 17 micron wool with adult ewes cutting an average five kilogram fleece.

Greg O’Reilly said he selected rams to fit within skin-types in the flock.

“I have separated the ewes into four types, heavy and flat wools, wools and frame, and cross-mate for improvement,” he said.

“Nice wool ewes will be joined to a bigger frame ram which will lift the progeny size while keeping the wool quality.”

This year’s clip, which sold last month, averaged 1900 cents per kg.

“I’ve always run wethers and keep 1500, so we shear 5000 head each year,” Mr O’Reilly said.

Wethers are kept for three years before being sold for mutton.

The sale-topper was from the 12-month-old draft and sired by Glanna 3SM from the fine wool (Supreme Monarch family) growing 17.3 micron wool.

Returning for their 11th year, Hayden and Alyssa Eley, Mirrambeena, The Gums, Queensland, paid an average of $2175 for four rams topping at $2800. They are joining 1500 Merino ewes this year growing an average 17 micron wool and cutting an average 6kg fleece.

Mr Eley said he continued to return to Glanna as he was getting "really good” results.

Mirrambeena-bred fleeces are consistent winners and placegetters at Queensland shops and a fleece was champion of the district exhibits competition at Sydney Royal Show.

Trevor Nace, Clunes, Victoria, paid an average $2400 for his draft of four rams topping at $2400 while Peter and Helen Lawson, Waterside, Hargraves, also paid to $2400 for his selection of four rams which averaged $1600. Mr Lawson joins 1200 ewes of 17.5 micron

One of Glanna’s most established clients, the Campbell family’s Slapdash Creek Partnership, Gulgong, returned and purchased 11 rams for a $1745 average while buying two at $2800 as the top rams of the draft.